Misconception
by Inwenalas
Summary: Don has a bad day. Alan and Charlie receive horrible news.
1. Chapter 1

**Misconception **

Rating: K+

Disclaimer: I don't own Numb3rs or any of the characters. I'd love to, but I don't.

R & R. I'd love to know what you think. Thanks. :)

A/N: Unbeta'd for now. Two chapters only. Last chapter will be longer.

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Don Eppes couldn't help closing his eyes when he felt the pressure of the gun against his head. He was on his knees at the man's mercy.

The media had simply called this man 'the cop killer'. It had seemed like an accurate description even if Don had never liked media inventions. He and his team had called him by his real name from the very beginning, Arthur Bellows.

Multiple things flashed through his head. He decided he really didn't want to be at a man's mercy like this, but more than anything else, he thought about Charlie and his dad. For a moment he wondered what would happen to them if this man pulled the trigger. It wouldn't be long now. He could feel Bellows tightening his grip on the gun. The pressure on his head only increased.

"You're coming with me," the man suddenly announced, "get up."

Don obeyed, but couldn't stop himself from telling Arthur Bellows something he believed to be true. "You're not going to get very far."

"Shut up, I didn't ask for your professional opinion."

"I'm giving it to you anyway. Think about it."

The killer placed his left hand on Don's left shoulder and started pushing him forward. The muzzle of the gun was still firmly placed against the right side of Don's head.

It was Colby who interrupted the man's getaway. The agent drew his weapon and aimed. "FBI," he identified himself, "lower your weapon." It was an order Don could only hope the man would obey.

There wasn't much Don could do to stop the man. His hands were cuffed behind his back. He'd been ordered to use his own cuffs to limit his movements and Bellows had enjoyed the irony of Don's predicament.

He tried his best to hide it, but he still couldn't help worrying about the outcome of the situation he found himself in, even though he really trusted Colby to get him out of this. It was weird, a contradiction even.

"You're going to let us pass or I'll drive a bullet through your partner's skull."

Technically Don was still Colby's boss, but who cared about hierarchy? Certainly not the man wielding the gun.

"Can't do that," Colby shot back, "There's nothing keeping you from pulling that trigger if I let you go." The agent tightened his grip on the gun.

"Then there's only one way out."

Colby saw the desperate look which crossed the man's face. If the agent hesitated now he would certainly lose his boss. Colby didn't wait when their cop killer changed direction, he fired. Two bullets flew through the alley.

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"Dad!"

"Can it wait, Charlie? I'm preparing dinner," Alan yelled back from the kitchen.

When Charlie didn't respond, Alan gave in and moved to the living room where he found his youngest son in front of the television set, staring at the screen with a look of pure dread on his face.

"_The FBI has not commented on the loss of the agent leading this investigation__. Our sources say that Arthur Bellows, better known as the cop killer, was injured and taken to hospital."_

Alan now understood his son's unresponsiveness.

"That's Donnie's case," the older man managed to whisper.

tbc


	2. Chapter 2

Misconception

– Chapter two –

A/N: mistakes are mine.

1234-1234

Alan reached for the phone and dialed his son's number.

"And?" Charlie found his voice again.

Alan shook his head. "Nothing. I'm calling David. You try Colby."

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Don managed to stay conscious most of the ride to the hospital, much to the EMT's surprise.

"Keep talking to him," the dark-haired paramedic ordered Colby, "He seems to recognize and react to your voice."

Colby nodded in reply, he wanted to do something but felt a little helpless.

"Don? Can you hear me?"

Don only groaned in reply.

"Don?"

_No response_.

"He's lost consciousness, but we're almost there," the EMT informed him.

Colby felt comforted by the fact that he could still hear Don's heart beating steadily on the portable monitor.

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Don thought he heard a sound. He couldn't be certain, but it seemed real. _Again_. A voice, _maybe_. He couldn't bring himself to open his eyes, he didn't need to know yet.

The second time he heard the female voice, he couldn't just ignore it any longer. He silently ordered his eyes to show themselves. He tried, but his eyelids didn't want to cooperate and stayed glued shut.

The voice which kept calling his name was both persistent and annoying. It made his headache intensify. His head wasn't the only part of his body screaming for attention.

"Agent Eppes? Can you open your eyes for me?"

He opened his eyes for just a second and instead of keeping them open he squeezed them shut again and furrowed his brow.

"Donnie?" He recognized his father and could clearly make out the worry in his dad's voice.

He attempted to open his eyes again.

"That's it," the female voice encouraged.

He hated hospitals with a passion, but knew they existed for a good reason. He couldn't complain, so instead he gave his father a tired smile.

Alan grabbed the fingers of his left hand and gently squeezed them. Don could feel the IV there, but he couldn't care less. He enjoyed his dad's comforting touch. He moved his gaze to the female doctor.

"What's the verdict?" he croaked, directly to the point.

She gave him a quick smile. "You're not going to feel very lucky for the next couple of days, but I can assure you that you are an extremely lucky man."

She was right about one thing, he didn't feel very lucky, his entire body hurt.

"The bullet went straight through your shoulder. The damage is minimal but you've lost quite a lot of blood."

Don looked down, suddenly interested in his bandaged right shoulder. His arm was on his chest, bandages firmly keeping it in place. He couldn't help feeling a bit nauseous.

His doctor kept explaining the damage. He picked up the words _physical therapy_ and _could've been worse_.

Her voice trailed off when she saw his green complexion. He figured that she must've reached for something because he felt something hard against his chin only a few seconds later, right on time. His stomach emptied its content. Somewhere in the distance he could feel his dad squeezing his hand.

She helped him lie down again, his head against the pillow.

Before he could bribe his father into telling him what had happened the older Eppes stopped him. "Shhh. Rest, son. You need it. I'll be here when you wake up."

He did feel exhausted and noticed that he could no longer keep his eyes open. He gave in to much needed sleep.

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As promised, his dad was right there when he woke up again. Alan just wasn't awake. When he turned his head to the left, his eyes spotted his little brother typing away on his laptop.

"Chuck," he called Charlie's name.

Charlie jumped a little when he heard Don's voice. He looked up and found his brother's brown eyes staring at him.

"Dad fell asleep?"

Charlie nodded. "Finally. He was worried."

"I'm guessing that's an understatement?"

Charlie nodded his head for a second time. He closed his laptop and took in his brother's appearance. Don looked pale. He also noticed pain lines on his brother's face.

"Do you want me to call the doctor or a nurse?"

"Not yet. I want to stay awake a little longer. Sounds like dad isn't the only one who's worried," Don quickly changed the subject.

"Don, we thought you were dead."

Don's eyes widened. "Who gave you that idea?"

"The news."

Charlie felt bad for bringing it up, his brother needed to rest and here he was, sharing the worry. Don had always worried about others, especially his family.

"Colb's okay, right?"

"He is. The… man you've been looking for, Arthur Bellows, died in that alley." Man didn't sound right to Charlie's ears. "Colby promised to drop by one of these days," Charlie added in attempt to get rid of the foul taste the name had left in his mouth.

Realization dawned on Don. "One of these days? When am I getting out of here?"

"When the doctor says you can leave," Alan cut in. He'd just woken up and had clearly heard the last part of their conversation.

Don threw a desperate look at the math professor.

"Don't look at me like that. You're on your own here. I won't suffer dad's wrath if I don't have to."

"Where are you going?" Don asked his father when the older man got up.

"I'm going to get the nurse. You're not going to admit you're in pain, even when it's pretty clear."

"I'm fine, dad. A little sore, but fine."

"_Fine_. Exactly my point." He muttered something unintelligible and left the room.

"Robin?" Don decided to ask his brother. He missed her.

"She should be here tonight." Charlie could see that the FBI agent liked his answer.

Don tried to get a bit more comfortable in bed and closed his eyes against the weariness threatening to overwhelm him.

"You're going to zone out again?"

"Hmmm," Don admitted, "as soon as they give me the good stuff."

tbc

A/N: I know I said 'two chapters', but for some reason I just kept writing last night and it felt appropriate to end chapter two here. This means that you're getting a third chapter/epilogue (at least three more 'scenes'). *nods*

Remember, reviews make me happy.


	3. Chapter 3

Misconception

- Chapter three-

A/N: Thank you for your reviews! I don't remember if I replied to all of them, so thanks. They really made my day and I'm incredibly happy you're all liking this. Mistakes are still mine. Don't own anything else.

1234-1234

Something was really bothering Charlie. Don didn't need to be an FBI agent to notice. While he certainly liked his brother's company, he started believing the younger man was glued to the hospital chair near his bed.

"You look tired, buddy," Don stated while rubbing the sleep from his own eyes with his left hand.

"Look who's talking," Charlie retorted.

"I'm getting plenty of sleep, Chuck. You on the other hand don't _need_ to be sleepwalking. The zombie look doesn't really suit you. Go home, get some rest, a shower maybe."

Charlie concealed a smile. "Are you claiming that I smell funny?"

"I'm not claiming anything. All I'm saying is that the nurses are going to start charging you rent if you stay here any longer."

"Okay. I'll go home as soon as dad and Robin get back from the cafeteria."

"They didn't go home either?"

Charlie shook his head before moving his chair a little closer to the bed. "Apparently they enjoy watching you sleep as much as I do."

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you either, buddy."

Charlie didn't respond and began staring at his hands.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Don tried to get his little brother to open up.

"There's nothing to talk about. You almost died, _again_. The man who tried to kill you and Colby didn't survive. End of story."

"If you put it that way." _Fine, be that way. _Don frowned. Something was definitely still bothering his brother, and probably his father too. The expression on the professor's face said more than words.

Don picked up on Charlie's refusal to say another word and simply closed his eyes. He figured his brother would open up eventually, but not just yet.

Alan and Robin knew something was _off_ the moment they stepped inside Don's hospital room. Alan sat down and moved his gaze from one son to the other and back without saying anything.

Robin on the other hand leaned closer and pressed her lips against Don's. He responded by opening his eyes again and giving her a smile.

"Don thinks we should go home," Charlie finally broke the silence.

Robin gestured towards thebed and at his nod she sat down on the edge and placed her hand over Don's.

"I'm not going anywhere, Eppes. I've only just arrived. Nice try."

Before Alan could add his thoughts, Robin turned to both Alan and Charlie and continued, "But he does have a point. You've been here longer than I have. I'll stay while the two of you get some rest."

Alan could see that Robin wouldn't accept no for an answer.

"I have to admit that I can see the advantages of a good night's sleep." He patted Don's leg. "We'll be back tomorrow morning. You can stop worrying about us and start worrying about yourself for once."

Don could live with that, as long as they went home to sleep and have a decent meal. He'd heard the cafeteria food was good, but anything but brilliant. If it was anything like the crap the hospital served him, then he hoped his family would find something a little more edible at Charlie's place.

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The knock on the door startled Don. His eyes shot open and in a moment of confusion he tried rolling onto his right side.

Robin touched Don's left shoulder in support. "Breathe through it."

"'s okay," Don replied after the pain subsided a little. He'd had a rough afternoon. The walk to the hall and back had exhausted him and he'd fallen asleep only minutes after hitting the bed.

At Don's nod she moved to the door and opened it.

"Hey," she greeted the visitor and led him to Don's bed.

"Look who I found in the corridor," Robin announced the agent.

"Hey. What brings you to my humble abode?"

"He means lair," Robin cut in.

Colby gave her a smile before placing his hand on the bedrail. "How are you, man?"

"Better than last time I saw you."

"About that. No hard feelings, right?"

Robin looked up at that. She didn't say anything, but she wondered what Colby was talking about.

"For saving my life?" Don asked incredulously.

"I was thinking for shooting you."

"Thanks," Don said instead.

"You're welcome. An-"

"Any time?" Robin interrupted their conversation. She looked puzzled.

"Well, yes. Except for the part where I shoot my boss," Colby explained, "I'd do it again, though," he added as an afterthought.

Robin hadn't heard of the exact circumstances; this bit of news came as a complete surprise. She felt grateful. If Colby hadn't been there that day Don would've died. Realization really hit her.

"Thanks," she whispered.

Colby gave her a nod; he understood.

"So, does everyone think I'm dead after that media fiasco?" He'd been out of the loop for a few days now, he desperately needed an update.

Colby shook his head. "David did some damage control and they actually apologized for what happened, said something about a bad source."

"That's easy," Robin grumbled. _Wait till I get my hands on them_.

tbc

A/N: Okay, this story just keeps growing. This isn't the last chapter, I've written an epilogue as well (on paper for now). I'll be posting the epilogue in a couple of days (I will be out of town, so no internet access). Thanks again for reviewing.


	4. Chapter 4

**Miconception**

- Chapter Four-

Spoilers: The Fifth Man (5x20)

Disclaimer: Don't own, never did and never will.

A/N: I'm back! This is the final chapter. Thanks for joining me on this ride. I enjoyed writing this fic and I truly hope all of you enjoyed reading it. Thanks for reviewing and adding this story to your favorites or for just pushing the story alert button. I appreciate it. The support made me feel incredibly happy.

Mistakes are still mine. I removed a few typos from the previous chapters.

1234-1234

_They should've waited for back-up, but catching an animal like Bellows was __as much on top of Colby's list as it was on Don's. It was a simple coincidence, they'd been closest to the abandoned apartment building. They would've waited if they hadn't heard the window break. _

_If, and only if, Bellows was still residing in this old apartment building Charlie had led them to, they would catch him. After searching for this man for nearly two weeks, the search had become more than a duty. It had become some kind of new reality. _

_The sound of breaking glass __had just changed their plans. Don nodded at Colby. He knew it was a mistake to make his way to that alley without a bulletproof vest, but he also realized that time was of the essence and that they didn't have much of a choice if they wanted to end the search today, end the killing of more colleagues. _

_Don signaled for Colby to go around back. __The two of them started moving. Don slowed down when he reached the alley's corner. This wasn't exactly how he'd imagined his day. _

_He turned the corner and found that the alley was relatively empty. Slowly, he moved forward in search of a__broken window or something else entirely which could've caused the earlier noise._

"_Drop it," a voice ordered._

_He looked up at the fire escape above him. It still took his eyes a moment to locate Bellows, hidden behind what seemed to be some sort of garbage can. _

"_Don't make me repeat myself."_

_Don crouched down and placed his sidearm on the ground. He knew that all of this was his own fault. He should've noticed Bellows there, but in the first place he should've waited for back-up. _

"_Now cuff yourself."_

_Don didn't doubt the man's potential to kill him. He quietly obeyed Bellows' orders and closed the first cuff around his wrist. He hesitated for a moment. 'Colby, now would be great timing.' He could only hope the agent wasn't too far away._

"_I don't want to do this here, but if you don't want to cooperate I might as well color part of this alley with your brain. Behind your back."_

_The second cuff closed. _

"_On your knees, now."_

_Don wondered where Bellows was taking this, but the more time he could win, the better.__ He hesitated again for a few seconds before carefully dropping to his knees._

_Bellows finally moved from his position and jumped down. __He checked the cuffs and smiled. _

"_Good."_

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Don allowed Robin to lead him from the car to the couch. He was glad to be home even if, technically speaking, Charlie's place wasn't his home anymore. It just felt like home and he didn't have to explain it.

"Need any help, Donnie?" his father asked.

"My legs work just fine, dad. Besides, I have all the support I need right here. Thanks." He squeezed Robin's shoulder. She kept her right arm wrapped around his middle.

"Okay. Tell me if you need anything."

Don gave Robin a quick smile at his dad's words. "I will. Don't worry." The last part was easier said than done for the older Eppes.

His dad smiled and disappeared into the garden. He considered going out there as well, breathe in the fresh air. He really wanted to make his move, but for now the couch looked inviting enough. He loved the fact that Robin sat down beside him, her hand on his thigh. It felt comfortable and safe.

"Where's Chuck?" he asked a while later.

"He went to pick up some books."

"So, he's not avoiding me? I haven't spoken to him ever since we had that _talk_." He wouldn't have called it a talk if it hadn't been the closest thing to it ever since the_ incident_.

She locked eyes with him, a worried look crossing her face. "I'm sure he just needs some breathing room," she reasoned while dropping her head against his and snuggling a little closer.

"I hope you're right. Maybe we should go back to the apartment," he added the last part as an afterthought.

"Trust me on this. They need you _here_ right now," she stressed the word here, "to convince themselves that you're still breathing. They thought you were dead for quite a while. They're probably still worried out of their minds." She carefully moved her hand under his sling and tried to feel his heartbeat. She smiled when she felt the steady beat, she'd once again convinced herself of his presence.

"Do you want to lie down?"

"No. I'm good." He could stay there, just sitting there close to her, forever.

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Don vividly remembered the alley and the pressure of the gun against his head.

_The moment Bellows moved the gun away from his head and pointed it at Colby, he knew what __was going to happen. He hoped it would happen. He wanted to live, but it wasn't up to him. _

_The force of the bullet threw him back, slamming his body against Bellows'.__ The impact knocked the air out of his lunges. He was already down on the ground struggling for air when the pain came. He knew he had to move, check if Colby was still alive, take Bellows into custody._

_Before he could fully lift his head, Colby was right there._

"_Easy, Don. Don't move. The ambulance is on its way," the agent explained. _

_Don focused on breathing, then turned his head to the __right and found Bellow's body lying right next to him. Colby felt for a pulse and shook his head. The agent's bullet had gone through his shoulder and into the killer's chest. _

"_Don?"_

_He'd closed his eyes. _

"_No sleeping on the job, man,__" Colby chided before putting pressure on the hole in his shoulder. _

_Don moaned, but managed to open his eyes. _

"_Keep breathing," Colby ordered, but wondered if he wasn't the one having trouble breathing._

_It seemed like an eternity and Colby couldn't help sighing in relief when the ambulance finally arrived. _

"_They're here." _

"_No sleeping, remember?" he added when he saw Don's eyes closing again _

"_Still 'ere." It wasn't much, but at least it was something, Colby figured._

_Colby stepped back, leaving Don in the paramedics' capable hands. His own hands were covered in his boss's blood.__ He glanced at Bellows' body again and didn't feel any remorse. Looking at Don, he knew he'd done the right thing. He only hoped Don would hang in there so he could tell people about it. It wouldn't be the prettiest story, but at least an agent shooting his boss was memorable._

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Don was asleep on the couch by the time Charlie got home. His younger brother tried hard not to wake him up, but after hearing Charlie trip over something near the door, his eyes flew wide open.

"Charlie? You okay, buddy?"

"I'm fine. I just tripped over this," he looked down, "umbrella stand?"

"Dad put it there. He moved some other stuff around too, but only furniture within a few feet of this couch."

"He's hovering," Charlie deducted correctly.

Don nodded. "But I wasn't referring to the umbrella stand, Chuck. How are you holding up?"

Charlie eyed his brother for a long silent moment before sitting down on the armrest of the seat nearest to the couch.

"I'm not supposed to be getting used to this," Charlie mused.

"You're not."

"I'm not?"

"No, you're not," Don repeated, "You're learning how to deal with all of this, accepting that we're vulnerable. You're doing great, Chuck."

Charlie felt as if the magic bubble he'd been fighting to keep whole had just been destroyed.

"I knew you weren't gone," Charlie told his older brother.

"Don't always believe what the news tells you?" It was a statement, but Don made it sound like a question.

"No, that's not it," Charlie admitted, "I could feel something was wrong, but I knew you weren't dead. I think I knew you would fight, choose life."

Don wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, his brother was finally opening up.

"I knew you would make it. When that man stabbed you, I hated seeing you so vulnerable, but I still knew you would make it. I knew the feeling would pass, that you would beat the odds," Charlie continued.

Don threw his left arm over Charlie's shoulders and pulled him into a half-hug.

"You know why I choose life Chuck?"

Charlie eyed him, but didn't reply. Instead he just waited for his brother to continue.

"I have too much to lose. _You, dad, Robin_. _Amita's like a sister to me_. I wouldn't want to miss you guys for the world."

Don saw his brother's eyes getting a little watery and he could feel tears of his own welling up. He decided to intervene.

"How about a beer now, Chuck?"

Charlie looked up at him with big eyes and laughed. "Nice try, _Donald_. Not while you're on meds, dad would kill us. Water it is."

Charlie got up slowly and made his way to the kitchen. He could do this. He could take care of his older brother, just like his brother had been taking care of him for years.

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Alan regretted inviting Don's team over for dinner. His son looked exhausted. His brain kept telling him that he should've waited a couple of days longer. It was only when he saw a smile on his oldest boy's face that he knew he'd done something right and part of the worry disappeared.

He didn't feel comfortable hearing the story of what had happened, but he didn't bother saying how he truly felt. He figured the agents were venting feelings of their own, that it was just their way of dealing with the entire situation. It wasn't exactly how he dealt with these things, but he could respect it.

"And of course Granger needed to play _hero of the day_," Nikki teased.

Colby nodded and turned his head to Don. "If you die we get David," the agent deadpanned, "_permanently_."

"Wow, now that's a scary thought," Nikki added.

Don smiled while Nikki and Liz laughed. Alan threw Colby a bewildered look.

"I'm sure Charlie would be able to find a correlation between resignations and David's promotion to boss."

David gave his partner a friendly nudge with his elbow.

At Alan's second questioning gaze the agent continued, "Courtesy of spending too much time with both of your sons."

Alan only smiled.

**The end**

A/N: Thanks again! Hope you liked this last bit too.


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